More Cards

I am involved in a "Holiday Mixed Media Card" swap at SurfaceDesign. I really like how these turned out. It was quite a challenge to come up with a greeting card. I tried a few ideas that I didn't like. This has Evolon in the center what I blogged about earlier how you can create a "fake resist" by stamping when wet. And, the backdrop is Yupo with color wash spray.

Card Trade

Here are pictures of some of the cards that I traded with Doreen:

Interesting Find

I got some Evlon from Dale at the Thread Studio. I have been wanting to use it for a while. I wondered how it would act embossed. THis is not such a great idea since it kind of curls up. But, what I found was quite interesting. I used these color washes as a background and before they were completely dry I stamped them with embossing ink. And, the result is that you can get kind of a batik look. I really thought this has some great possibilities. Interesting eh?

Tree Texture

I have this challenge at my quilt guild where I need to do something in the theme of "Up Close and Personal". Here is a WIP. I'm trying to recreate in a partially abstract way the trunk of a tree. Next I am going to add some stitching. I did do some couching of threads but I didn't like it so I just added some more layers and now it's kind of imbedded in the background. Any suggestions on stitching or adding to the piece greatly appreciated.

Doreen and I swap cards every so often.
We decided to do Christmas cards. I received this really lovely package from Doreen. She sent me this beautiful felted landscape piece. I love it and will find a nice frame for it. I also got lots of other little goodies and of course, the three lovely Christmas cards. Thanks Doreen.

Also, a winner announcement, to all of you who responded about "craft vs. art". I really appreciate it. And, I got some really great insights. Thank you all! The winner is TracyB. Email me your address. Thanks everyone for playing!!!

Book Still Up For Grabs

If you are still interested in getting in on the discussion points I posed in my previous email, the book Speaking In Cloth is still up for grabs. I'll draw a winner next week. I'm going to extend the timeframe. If you are interested in the discussion, please reply to the previous post. This is where I will draw a winner from. As a recap...I posed the following questions..

how do you find your artistic voice? What's your opinion on crafty vs. art?

I got two really great responses from Michelle and Karen.

Karen wrote:
"craft is often very artistic. As an art quilter I want my work to be thought of more as Art and not so much as craft. Yet the craft of it is such an integral part of the whole that one cannot remove that from its being.So in the end I will have to say that craft is just one of the many many forms of art. Art,after all, is subjective to the obsever.
finding my artistic voice.After exploring many different artforms I was drawn back to fiber. fabric specifically. I love the textures,the mixing of different mediums. That this art form flows so swiftly from vague idea to definite form still amazes me sometimes. Though it may take me ages to complete a work I dont tire of it. This is how it feels for me. The work is a part of me. In essence it becomes my voice."


I like what Karen wrote about craft being an intergral part of art. It is a soothing thought that they are interrelated. Many thoughts well said.


Michelle wrote:

"How to find your artistic voice? Be true to yourself, I guess. Don't follow the whims of others. Recognize when the artistic path you are taking is not the path you wish to be on, and make the changes you need to make. Easier said than done!

As far as the art vs. craft dilemma, this has always bugged me. I feel diminished as an artist (even though I shouldn't!) when people comment on how "crafty" I am - as if I'm good with a glue gun! Well, I posed this question on a list a few months ago and this was the explanation that I liked the best. It really makes sense to me!

"If you design a quilt, that is art. If you are a skilled technician
in assembling and stitching a quilt, you are practicing a craft. I
think the distinction is original "creativity". I think craftmanship
connotes hand workmanship, but art is "created" first,in the mind.""

I love what Michelle said as well. I can really relate to the fact that when someone comments this is quite crafty that it isn't what you want to hear. The quote she posed is something I am going to print out and put above my sewing machine. It's well said. "art is "created" first in the mind".

Thanks ladies for the posts it's really interesting to hear about what is
"your artistic voice" and "craft" vs. art.

I hope to hear more thoughts.

Finding your voice

I just bought this book called "Speaking in Cloth" by Ann Johnston. If you don't know Ann Johnston, she is the master of dyeing fabrics and her quilts are amazing. This is truly a wonderful book. It isn't about techniques (you won't find any tutorials) but about the "language", "themes", "challenges" and "processes" these ladies go through to create their art. It is about 6 different views. It really is interesting that just like in fine art on canvas there are certain artists you can pick out their work and their styles. I hope one day to find my language theme etc. I really admire those ladies that create these breathtaking quilts and look at their work as an art form. It really is a process to get it to that point. I know many people and "many husbands" that look at what we do as being crafty and not really art. I know personally I look at a lot of what I do and see it as "crafty". It's not a bad thing and I do like to things that are crafty. At times, I'd like to take it to another level. It's just a process to have your piece have a "voice" and in my case a big commitment. I'm curious at what level you move from craft to art. I hope one day to be able to create larger pieces with themes achieving harmony and balance. It's a difficult thing. And, I give these women a lot of credit. I have an extra copy up for grabs. I will do a random drawing on Monday for a winner. But, you must answer these two questions, how do you find your artistic voice? What's your opinion on crafty vs. art?


I've been working on holiday themed small projects. Here's one...not sure if it will translate into a card or not. It's from the idea I posted earlier.

Photoshop

Susan D was making these really great photos into sketches with Photoshop. So, I figured I would also give it a shot. Thanks for sharing Susan!

Progress

I haven't made much progress in anything lately. The children have been sick and have been taking up quite a bit of my energy. Boy, I'd love one of those quilting getaways! I am next week going to take a class with Phillipa Naylor, which I am looking forward to. She does the most amazing satin stitching with tiny circles. She was also a big winner in Houston.
I am hoping that late next year I can do a weekend seminar with the Hudson River Valley Workshops. I'm hoping Katie Pasquini comes back. If you need some inspiration, pick up one of her books.

I've always had a great love of art deco works. It really seems they are quite timeless. Below is an idea I am working on, I don't know if it will translate to a card, but I will give it a good shot.

Also, I got this great fabric from Fabric Paradise. I've been trying to build up my black and white stash. I don't have many varieties in black and white. I am also really fond of this Klimt inspired fabric. It's funny when I was back in university and I was taking art history classes Klimt was never really interesting to me. Now, I really like the designs, motifs and compositional elements in his work. Funny how our tastes change over time.